Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN

I've waited tables a time or two in my life. The most frustrating part of the job for me wasn't the hard-to-please customers, or the constant multi-tasking. It was the feeling that I had too many people to really serve well. Waiting tables taught me that it really bugs me when I can't give my best effort at a job. If only the same thing carried over in my life with God. It did for a man named Cornelius. He was doing his best to honor God- cultivating a devout and respectful attitude and backing it up with his actions of generosity and prayer.

THE GOD WHO NOTICES
The idea that God is always watching us can feel a bit creepy to some of us. But what if God is watching because He is hoping to catch us doing good? God notices that Cornelius is doing his best and sends a messenger to invite him to take another step of faith.

FILLING IN THE GAPS
Doing our best may show God our hearts, but it doesn't completely close the distance between us and a Holy, Awesome God. That's where our Maker steps in and closes the distance between us. Knowing better than we do that our goodness will only get us so far- He closes the gap for us. Read through Acts 10 and notice what happens for Peter. Peter is one of the most famous followers and servants of Jesus. Yet, he needs help. God uses a trip to Cornelius' house to expand Peter's understanding of God's heart and plan. And then there's Cornelius. He's done his best to honor God. Then God sends Peter to fill in Cornelius' gaps- inviting him to experience the peace, forgiveness and relationship that Jesus came to bring.

REFLECT:
Q: Cornelius' desire to honor God was obvious (even to other people) by his actions. Is the same thing true about us? How does our relationship with God get lived out?

Q: In this story God challenges some of Peter's religious traditions and asks him to leave them behind. What have you been taught about God that you might need to leave behind to know/love/serve Him more?

Q: God teaches Peter by giving him a vision, allowing him to meet some people who were very different from him- and allowing Peter to figure things out for himself. Cornelius is also asked to take steps of faith to send for Peter, but then is given a clear message and a powerful spiritual experience. Whose interaction with God describes the kind you are hoping for? Which do you think would help you reach your next Turning Point with Jesus?

Q: What happens in this story that describes some of the challenges you are facing? Pursuing God consistently? Taking steps of faith when God doesn't tell you what will happen next? Having your understanding of God stretched? Being sent to places and people you've never expected to go? Something else

Q: Peter gets prepped for his new mission (of interacting with Gentiles) just before God sends him out to do it. What has been happening in your life lately that might be preparation for some work God has for you to do?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE SINCERELY MISDIRECTED

What do you think when you see someone headed the wrong way down the road? I usually think, "What is that idiot doing?" Last week, I was that idiot.

I was traveling on the interstate and stopped to get some lunch. I chose an exit with a mall with several restaurants in the parking lot. Trouble was, I couldn't figure out how to get into the mall. I could see it, but every time I thought I was turning into the entrance, I found myself trapped in a smaller parking lot that didn't connect. Until I finally made a right and was headed straight for the mall. Then I noticed that I was the only car headed this way. Mental warning lights went off and I pulled over the shoulder of the road just seconds before several lanes of traffic came my way. I got my composure back, whipped a u-turn and headed the other way. Chances are, we've all had that kind of experience. Maybe in our cars. Or maybe in our lives.

SINCERE...BUT SINCERELY WRONG
The New Testament tells the story of a man named Saul. He had a deep and sincere love for God. He ordered his whole life around obeying and pleasing God. He was also sincerely convinced that the followers of this upstart rabbi- Jesus of Nazareth- were dishonoring God, leading people astray, and needed to be stopped. So Saul started arresting followers of Jesus, imprisoning them, and- if they wouldn't recant- working to get them executed. Mind you, he did all of this precisely because He loved God and wanted to honor him. If this seems far fetched, consider the Christian Crusades or today's Muslim terrorists.

STOP RIGHT THERE
As Saul is on his way to "clean up" another city, Jesus appears and stops Saul dead in his tracks. Jesus confronts the persecutor about his ignorance. Turns out that Saul didn't know Jesus at all. Amazing how many of our incorrect judgments are formed sans personal relationships or experience, huh? Jesus leaves Saul with a physical reminder the he isn't as enlightened as he presumed. Stunned and blind, Saul is led humbly to Damascus.

NOW TURN AROUND
For a few days, Saul is blind. His lack of physical sight gives him a chance to reflect on his recent supernatural encounter and his actions against the people of Jesus. While Saul stews, God enlists the help of someone who did know Him, Ananias. Ananias is hesitant to get involved given Saul's reputation, but he trusts God and plays an important role in helping Saul recover his sight- physically and spiritually.

OFF YOU GO
Most folks would call Saul's change of heart a win all by itself. At least he's stopped persecuting Jesus' people. But the story gets better from there. God isn't content with just having us stop our negative, hurtful, sinful behavior. He wants to send us out in the other direction. In the course of a week, Saul goes from speaking and acting out against Jesus- to convincing people that Jesus really is the Messiah. Talk about a turnaround.

REFLECT:
Q: Have you ever been sincerely wrong about something? What happened to "enlighten" you?

Q: Why do you think God involved Ananias in this story (instead of just healing Saul himself)? What role did Ananias actually play? What could we learn from him as we seek to engage people who are searching for God?

Q: How do you think Ananias found the strength to call Saul "brother" and embrace Saul after all he had done to Jesus' people? Could you have done that? Did Saul get off the hook for all the wrong he had done?

Q: Saul actively "went the other way" after he saw the light. He not only stopped doing what was wrong, but started doing what was right. Can you think of any issues in your life where God would call you to do the same?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE CAUGHT & EXPOSED

Ever watch "To Catch A Predator"? Every time I see this program I have mixed reactions. I'm glad they caught these guys. I'm fearful of how many more of them there are out there. And I'm amazed at how stupid some of these folks are. Especially the ones who have watched "To Catch A Predator" before- and still get stung. Maybe this is evidence of the fact that we think we'll never be the one who gets caught. Whatever the case, the guys on this show had a similar experience to a lady in the scripture- and to me and you too. They got caught and exposed. And had the chance to come to a turning point.

DOING OUR OWN THING
In John 8 we're introduced to a lady who was involved in an inappropriate relationship. Specifically, she was having sex with someone who wasn't her husband. She was committing adultery- even though she probably knew it was wrong. It would have been pretty difficult to live where she did (Jerusalem) amongst the people she did (fiercely religious) and not know that this was a line that shouldn't be crossed. She knew better, but did what she wanted anyway. Just like us. And like us- she probably wasn't planning on getting caught.

CAUGHT & EXPOSED
When this lady lay down with her lover, she couldn't have imagined that an hour later she'd be standing in the temple courtyard, with her secret out for everyone to know. She's naked before the crowd- maybe not physically- but certainly spiritually. Her secrets are on display. And she's steeling herself for the judgment to come

FACING JUDGMENT
The religous leaders who bring this lady to Jesus are looking to judge. They want to judge her. And they want to judge Jesus. However, their foolproof plan backfires. With a little ingenuity, a finger and some sand, Jesus turns the tables. God didn't see fit to tell us exactly what Jesus scrawled in the sand. Whatever the words, they helped the leaders of the mob judge themselves. Maybe the woman on display was guilty of misusing God's gift of sexuality. But these men had used her. They had used the words of God. All in an attempt to condemn Jesus.

A TURNING POINT
This lady doesn't escape judgment for her actions. Not only will she have to face her own conscience, the folks she's wronged, and the rest of her community- but as her accusers leave, she stands before the only one fit to pronounce judgment. Jesus doesn't condemn her. That's not why He has come. Instead, Jesus offers her not only pardon, but a chance to head a new direction in life. Having our indiscretions discovered and broadcast can be painful and humiliating. But being found out can also bring us to a turning point. In our despair we reach towards Jesus for mercy. And like this lady, we can find it.

REFLECT:
Q: Have you ever been caught doing something you knew was wrong? What happened?

Q: Would you agree that most of us "do our own thing" at some point or another? Why? What do we tell ourselves in those moments?

Q: What do you think this story has to teach us about sin? About judgment? Is the point of this story that everyone blows it, so we sin isn't a big deal? Or shouldn't be spoken against?

Q: In your life, which kind of sin is harder for you to deal with: blatant sin (like this woman misusing sexuality) OR subtle sin (like the leaders using this woman and God's words)? Why?

Q: Which is harder for you: to receive God's pardon OR to head in a new direction? Why?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE JUST BROWSING

I love Craigslist. Why? For starters, it's free. No fee to post, buy or sell. On top of that, it gives me the chance to get stuff out of my garage without sending it to the landfill. And buying gently used things saves money and is a good practice of self-discipline for me. But mostly- I like Craigslist because I can browse all I want without crowds, sales people or pressure. And I like to browse. How about you? Enjoy a stroll through a car lot, an open house or your favorite store with no agenda or shopping list? Not only is browsing an enjoyable way to spend some free time, but it can also lead us into a turning point.

A LITTLE CURIOSITY
Some of us find God not as the result of a huge quest or search, but simply because we were a little curious. That's what happened to a man named Zacchaeus anyway. Jesus was passing through his town and Zacchaeus just wanted a peek at the Rabbi who was causing such a stir. Maybe he wanted to see if Jesus looked anything like the mental image he had painted of him. Unable to get a front row seat, Zacchaeus' curiousity drives him to higher ground.

BEYOND BROWSING
The story would have ended there (or probably never ended up in scripture) if it wasn't for what happened next. Jesus engaged this lookie-lou. Jesus noticed the man. Called him by name. Honored Zaccheaus by offering to spend time with him. And suddenly, Zacchaeus was something more than curious. He was engaged. He was taking Jesus home for dinner.

I WASN'T PLANNING ON THAT
I have a friend who flips houses for a living. A few months back he finished a total renovation on a house built in the 1920's. Then he noticed that a house across the street was going to be auctioned off. My friend decided to swing by and see what the house sold for. Figured it would give him a good comp for what he had invested in his flip. A couple days later I asked him how the auction went. He told me that he bought the house and went on to explain that he hadn't intended to buy it, but no one else bid- so he jumped in and took it. Sounds like the kind of thing that happened to Zacchaeus. After spending some time with Jesus, he makes a decision.

To some of us, this decision might seem rash. But give Zacchaeus credit- he's started to believe in Jesus and did something about it. While I'm prone to think that decisions ought to be well planned and researched, Zacchaeus grabbed the opportunity in front of him. According to Jesus, this kind of faith is impressive and destiny changing.

REFLECTING:
Q: Do you like to browse? Where? What for?

Q: Zacchaeus climbed a tree to get a look at Jesus. What have you done to explore your own wonderings about faith?

Q: What could Jesus' people learn from Jesus about the way He engages Zacchaeus?

Q: How has Jesus engaged you? What happened to move you beyond "just browsing" when it came to God/Church/Jesus?

Q: What do you think of Zacchaeus' quick decision? How does it compare in your mind to what happened with the Rich Young Ruler?

Q: Are you "just browsing" in some part of your relationship with Jesus? What step of action could you take to express your faith right now?

Turning Points: WHEN WE'RE SO CLOSE

Familiar with this image? It was shot at the finale of this year's American Idol competition. The guy smiling in the middle, David Cook, won. The short dude applauding on the left, David Archuletta, finished second. This was a bit of a surprise. Archuletta dominated the head to head round in the mind of the judges and the fans in the theater. Pundits predicted that he'd win the online vote in a landslide. But he didn't. He got so close to his dream. Then things headed a different direction. Sound familiar? Not all turning points are good or welcomed. Sometimes we feel like we're on the right track- heading in the right direction. Then instead of moving ahead, we take an unforseen turn.

SO "CLOSE"
These kinds of turning points don't just happen to you and me. People in the Scriptures experienced them too. Like the "Rich Young Ruler". Probably not his given name. And although you might not guess it by a title like that, he was very close to getting the life with God that he wanted. He approached Jesus with excitement, humility and honor and asked a great question. He kept the commandments. Evoked a certain affection from Jesus. Heck, Jesus said the guy was only missing ONE thing spiritually speaking. (Not sure I'd want to see how many things would show up on my "stuff I'm missing with God" list!) Of course, "close" is a relative term. Ever tried to hike over to that mountain "right over there"? What kind of gap separated this man from his stated quest? Only complete and voluntary poverty.

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR
Why did Jesus make such a demanding request? Because he answered the man's question. Although it is easy to see this as a conversation about money or even salvation, I think Jesus' words are about something even more important- eternal life. Sometimes when we're so close, Jesus has the nerve to offer us what we're asking for. And what we want from God may not look like we expect it to. Instead of eternal life = salvation after death, Jesus offered this man a quality of life that comes from living in relationship with God and people in the here and now.

DECISION TIME
The problem with having Jesus offer us the thing we say we want? Then we've got a decision to make. Do we REALLY want the thing we've asked for? Are we willing to do what Jesus says we have to do to get it? Jesus invited the rich young ruler to trade the good in his life for God's better. He'd been keeping rules. Jesus offered him a relationship. He had riches. Jesus offered eternal treasure. He had assets to hold on to. Jesus offered him freedom through simplicity. Even though the exchange looks good on paper (or computer screen)- it obviously wasn't an easy decision.

My guess is that if God offered us the things we say we want, it wouldn't be easy either. Do we really want to be humble? Enough to fail? Do we really want to be forgiven? Enough to forgive ourselves? Or others? Do we really want to be mature? Enough to endure hard times? Do we really want God to lead and guide us? Enough to have faith and venture out into uncertainty?

BIG SWINGS & PROBABLE REGRET
This conversation between Jesus and this wealthy young guy must have been brief. Each speaks only twice and the whole exchange is captured in one paragraph. I'm guessing that this encounter took less than one minute. 60 seconds is long enough change our emotions and path in life. When this guy approached Jesus he was so excited and so "close". A moment later he walks away from Jesus- dejected. Where did he end up? We don't know for sure. But I'm guessing that he replayed this encounter in his mind and had some sense of regret. At least that's the way I've felt about similar turning points that led me away from Jesus. How about you?

REFLECT
Q: The guy in this story came running up to Jesus- full of questions, respect and humility. How do you bring yourself to Jesus? What do you communicate to Him?

Q: Mark (who tells this story) somehow knew that Jesus loved this guy. Whether Jesus verbalized it or Mark read it on his face or in his voice- we don't know for sure. How and when do you sense the love and affection of Jesus in your life?

Q: If you were in this story, what question would you ask Jesus today?

Q: What do you think Jesus would say you are missing or is keeping you from the thing you'd ask Him for?

Q: Do you feel like you are close to any decisions or turning points when it comes to Jesus?